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Service endpoints allow you to secure your critical Azure service resources to only your virtual networks. When you enable a service endpoint, the source IP of the virtual network traffic changes to that of the subnet from which it originated. This allows Azure services, such as Azure Storage and Azure SQL Database, to recognize the traffic as coming from your virtual network.
Here’s how you can configure service endpoints on subnets in your Azure virtual network:
Ensure that you have an Azure Virtual Network with the necessary subnet(s) needing service endpoints configured. Navigate to the Azure VNet in the Azure portal.
In the settings of the selected subnet, look for the ‘Service endpoints’ section.
To add a service endpoint, select ‘Add’. You will be prompted to select the service for which you want to enable the endpoint. Common services include Microsoft.Storage, Microsoft.Sql, and others.
Choose the Azure service you want to secure with the service endpoint. Each service has its own settings, which determine how the service endpoint is enforced.
After selecting the service, you need to enable the endpoint by clicking ‘OK’ or ‘Add’. This action will apply the changes to the subnet.
Navigate to the Azure resource you want to secure with the service endpoint. Go to the networking or firewall settings of that resource (e.g., Azure Storage account or Azure SQL Database).
Within the resource settings, add a new ‘Virtual network rule’. Select the virtual network and subnet that now define the service endpoint.
Save the networking changes on both the subnet and the Azure service resource to enforce the service endpoint.
Action | Azure Portal Location |
---|---|
Add Service Endpoint to Subnet | Virtual Network > Subnets > Service endpoints |
Secure Azure Storage Account | Storage Account > Networking > Firewalls and virtual networks |
Add Virtual Network Rule | Specify the VNet and Subnet with the enabled service endpoint |
Action | Azure Portal Location |
---|---|
Add Service Endpoint to Subnet | Virtual Network > Subnets > Service endpoints |
Secure Azure SQL Database | SQL Server > Security > Firewalls and virtual networks |
Add Virtual Network Rule | Provide details of the VNet and Subnet with the service endpoint |
By configuring service endpoints, you increase the security posture of your Azure resources and ensure Azure services interact with your Virtual Networks in a more secure and streamlined manner. This is an important best practice for Azure administrators responsible for securing cloud resources and networks.
Service Endpoints allow you to secure your Azure service resources to only your virtual networks. Traffic from your VNet to the Azure service always remains on the Microsoft Azure backbone network.
Answer: A
Enabling a service endpoint applies to all resources in the subnet immediately. It does not require restarting of resources or only applies to new resources.
Even if service endpoints are enabled, you must configure the Azure services’ firewall rules to restrict access to the particular VNet.
Answer: D
Azure Virtual Machines do not support Virtual Network Service Endpoints. This feature is designed to secure and provide direct connectivity to specific Azure service resources like Azure Storage, Azure SQL Database, and Azure Cosmos DB.
Multiple service endpoints can be enabled on a single subnet to allow access to multiple Azure services securely.
Answer: B, E
Azure Blob Storage and Azure SQL Database can be secured with Virtual Network Service Endpoints. Virtual Machines and Kubernetes Services don’t support Service Endpoints, and Azure Active Directory is not a service that is secured via Service Endpoints.
Service Endpoints can be used to secure Azure services in the same or different regions as the VNet.
Answer: A
Service Endpoint Policies allow you to create subnet-level policies that govern traffic to Azure Service Resources.
Service Endpoints can be disabled from a subnet at any time even if there are resources deployed in that subnet. However, this might affect connectivity to the services that those endpoints were meant for.
Answer: C
A Network Contributor role has the necessary permissions to configure service endpoints on a subnet.
Service endpoints provide secure and direct connectivity but do not inherently encrypt the traffic. Encryption should be managed at the application or service level (like using HTTPS for secure transmission).
Service endpoints enable Azure resources to be accessed securely over Microsoft’s backbone network infrastructure, keeping the traffic within the Azure network, rather than routing it over the internet.
Virtual network service endpoints in Azure provide a secure and direct connection between a virtual network and Azure services over an optimized route.
Virtual network service endpoints improve security by keeping traffic between the virtual network and the Azure service on the Microsoft network, reducing exposure to potential security threats.
Virtual network service endpoints improve performance by providing a direct and optimized route between the virtual network and the Azure service, reducing latency.
Virtual network service endpoints can improve availability by using an internal IP address for the Azure service, reducing the risk of IP address conflicts.
To configure virtual network service endpoints on subnets in Azure, you can select the subnet that you want to configure and then click on the “Service Endpoints” option, where you can add the Azure service that you want to connect to.
Virtual network service endpoint policies in Azure allow you to control the traffic to and from specific Azure services.
Virtual network service endpoint policies can improve security by allowing you to specify which Azure services can be accessed from your virtual network and which traffic is allowed.
To configure virtual network service endpoint policies in Azure, you can click on the “Service Endpoint Policies” option in the virtual network and then add the policies and rules for the specific Azure services you want to control.
The benefit of using service endpoint policies in Azure is that they provide greater control over traffic to and from specific Azure services.
Service endpoint policies work with virtual network service endpoints in Azure to provide an additional layer of control over traffic to and from specific Azure services.
Yes, virtual network service endpoints can be configured on a per-service basis.
A virtual network service endpoint provides a secure and direct connection between a virtual network and an Azure service, while a virtual network service endpoint policy controls the traffic to and from specific Azure services.
No, virtual network service endpoints can only be configured on private Azure services.
Yes, virtual network service endpoint policies can be applied to multiple virtual networks in Azure.
Virtual network service endpoints and virtual network service endpoint policies enhance the security of virtual networks in Azure by providing greater control over the traffic to and from specific Azure services and reducing exposure to potential security threats.
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